The American Navy dirigible or blimp C-5 left Montauk Point on May 14, 1919 in an attempt to cross the Atlantic by way of Halifax, where it arrived at 10 o’clock on the morning of May 16th, after being in the air almost 26 hours. A perfect landing was made at the Pleasantville base near St. Johns, and the dirigible was anchored in an old cricket field.
Preparations immediately began for the transatlantic flight, but a treacherous gale arose which drove the dirigible from its moorings and carried it out to sea, where it was totally destroyed. The dirigible was under command of Lieutenant-Commander Coil, with Lieutenant Campbell and Lieut. J. B. Lawrence as navigating officers.
The total distance of 1050 miles covered by the C-5 was a world’s record for non-rigid airships, for total distance covered without a stop. The C-5 was 102 feet long, 43 feet wide and 45 feet high, with a capacity of 180,000 cubic feet of gas. Its cruising speed was 42 miles per hour, and it could climb 1000 feet per minute. The car suspended from the gas bag was of streamlined form 40 feet long, 5 feet in maximum diameter, with steel tube outriggers carrying an engine at either end. It had a capacity of 7 passengers, though 4 formed the usual crew. The engines were made by the Union Gas Engine Company, and were 125 horse power each.